Nov , 1903. Oraibi Summer Snake Ceremony — Voth. 319 



Snakes, who at once proceed to the Antelope kiva in the same manner 

 as before described, being arrayed in their common kilts only, and 

 the singing ceremony is gone through in the same manner as already 

 described. In 1898, when Sihongwa had been sent away as messen- 

 ger, Lomayeshtiwa took his place at the north-east corner of the 

 altar. On one occasion one of the Antelope priests brought a little 

 novice in at this juncture, gave him a white corn-ear, after making 

 him sprinkle a little meal to the altar, tied the usual ndkwa into his 

 hair, and seated him on the floor east of the sand mosaic, sitting down 

 by his right side. 



While this ceremony is going on in the usual way, we follow the 

 messenger to the distant spring and see how he disposes of the prayer 

 offerings that have been intrusted to him and how he obtains the water 

 he is sent to get. The information about this errand, however, is not 

 based upon personal observation, but was furnished me later, by one 

 of the Antelopes, who acted as messenger one time. As he is a per- 

 sonal friend of mine, I have reason to believe that his statements are 

 true," as far as he could give them. 



Descending the mesa on the main trail leading towards the south- 

 east, he soon came upon a place called Kuritvahchikpu. Here he 

 first twirled the bullroarer, deposited a pinch of meal, put a drop of 

 honey into his mouth and spurted it into the air, and then deposited 

 the following prayer offerings: One green baho, made by the Antelope 

 priest, one chochokpi, made by the asperger, and numerous nakwak- 

 wosis, made by the men of both fraternities.^ Proceeding along the 

 trail towards the south-east, he soon arrived at a place that seems to 

 have no special name, where he went through the same performance 

 and deposited the. same prayer offerings. At Kukdkwushchomo, a 

 short distance farther south-east, he does the same. About a quarter 

 of a mile farther on is the place from where the race is to start the 

 next morning. Here he went through the same performance and 

 deposited similar objects. The four places thus far mentioned are 

 located in the broad valley east of Ordibi. Leaving the last-named 

 place the messenger left the trail and proceeded due east towards a 

 large mesa on the south side of which, about-half way up, is located 



'The name of the man is not given, as he asked me not "to tell on him," and would be 

 unnecessarily subjected to severe censure were this publication shown to the societies mostly 

 concerned. 



» As to the kind and number of b&hos taken along and their exact disposition, the statements 

 of this messenger and another one who got water once, and those of a racer who passed the places 

 where the bAhos are placed are so conflicting that personal observation only will probably settle that 

 point. The fact that these men perhaps get water only once or twice in their lifetime, and have so 

 many bilbos to dispose of, and these at five different places, may account for the conflicting state- 

 ments; in fact, they say they have forgotten some of the details. 



